Streaks are made to be broken, and on Friday night at Santa Fe College, the Eastside Rams boys basketball team ended one to their biggest rival.
Senior Jimmy Johnson had 18 points, with four 3-pointers, senior Noah Richardson had 16, 10 from the free throw line, and sophomore Anthony Richardson had 14 in a dominating 73-53 win over Gainesville.
The Rams (13-4) snapped a six-game losing streak to the Hurricanes (14-5), who led only once and trailed by 12 (22-10) after the first period.
Eastside hit on eight 3-pointers in the first half, four in each period, led by Johnson. The Rams led by 20 (42-22) at half and by 22 (58-36) going into the final period.
“I challenge them,” said Rams coach Pop Williams. “GHS has been playing well against good competition. And I know we have played against good competition.
“We have been playing on low emotions. Because this is a rivalry, they really wanted to get out there and play.”
The closest the Hurricanes could pull within Eastside was 16 late in the fourth (66-50).
“You have to give all the credit to Eastside,” GHS coach Kelly Beckham said. “They came out and played incredible. They had eight 3s in the first half. They were getting to the rim, and we kind of lost our composure a little bit. The other team just took it to us.”
Seniors Jaden McKay and Diamond Smith were the only Hurricanes in double figures with 10 each. J’len Wilson had nine, as did Dallas Tealer, who hit on three 3-pointers.
Eastside, which plays at Bradford tonight, was coming off a triple overtime loss at District 6-6A rival North Marion (63-58) on Tuesday. GHS played at home on Thursday night in a 12-point win (52-40) over District 4-7A rival Lake Weir.
“I’m not concerned about GHS, I’m concerned about our district,” Williams said. “I wanted to win that game (at North Marion) more than I wanted to win tonight because that is what it is all about. They (his players) understood that.
“But I know in their heart it is a rivalry game, they wanted to take a different approach to that. The way they came out and played, they seemed more focused.”